Rail-joint.



Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. N. KENNEDY.-

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1911.

1,019,966 Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

PEP-

A 2 SHBETB-BHEET 2. 9 f

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY N. KENNEDY, 0F MAGNOLIA, MISSISSIPPI.

RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY N. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States,residing at lWa-gnolia, in the county of Pike, State of Mississippi,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RailJoints; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improvement in rail joints. 7

The principal object of the invention is to provide a rail joint whichwill permit of a limited amount of creeping of the rails.

Another object of the invention is to provide a joint of the characterdescribed in which a novel form of locking means is provided between themeeting ends of adjacent rails.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail joint of thecharacter described which is composed of a minimum number of parts, istherefore simple in construotion, and is cheap to manufacture.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claimshereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form,proportion, size and minor details of construction within the scope ofthe claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of the jointconstructed in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of one end of one of the rails,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the adjacent end of another rail, Fig. 4is a vertical lon- 'tudinal sectional view through the meeting ends ofthe rails, Fig. 5 is transverse sectional view through the meeting endsof the rails, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of thefish-plates.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all the figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the invention comprises a pair of adjacentrails A and B res ectively. The meeting end of the rail A is ormed withan inwardly extending and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 12, 1911.

Patented Mar. 12, 1912.

Serial No. 638,152.

centrally disposed vertical slot 5 forming consequent fingers 6-6. Aplurality of transverse pins 7 project across the slot 5, and have theirends disposed within suitable openings formed in the outer ends of thefingers 6.

The meeting end of the rail B is formed .With a central longitudinaltongue, indicated as a Whole by the reference numeral 8, of a size tofill the slot 5 of the rail A. This tongue 8 is formed with a'pluralityof horizontal recesses 99 forming a plurality of fingers 10. The upperpair of fingers are recesses on their underfaces, as indicated by thereference numerals 11, to form conse quent hooks 12 adapted to engagethe pins 7 when the tongue 8 is disposed Within the slot 5. The lengthof the bill portion of the hooks 12 is such as to permit of a limitedlongitudinal movement of the rails.

Each of the outer faces of the rails are formed with a longitudinal andpreferably V-shaped recess 13, which recesses are respectively adaptedto receive correspondingly shaped fish-plates 1 1-1 1. In one of therails, preferably the rail B, is an elongated and transversely disposedslot 15, wherethrough passes the shank of a bolt 16. Another bolt 17passes through suitable openings formed in the fish plates and the otherrail for securing said plates in position.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that by reason of thisconstruction, when the rails contract the fish-plates will remainstationary, and by reason of the fact that the bolt 16 passes throughthe elongated opening 15, such creeping movement of the rails is madepossible. As this creeping takes place the hooks 12 engage thetransverse pins 7 and thereby positively prevent any possibility of therail B from rising, and also limiting the amount of creeping of saidrails.

What is claimed is 1. A rail joint including in combination, a pair ofrails disposed end to end, the meeting end of one of the rails beingformed with an inwardly extending longitudinal slot forming consequentfingers, a plurality of transverse pins carried by the fingers andprojecting across the slot, the meeting end of the other rail beingformed with a projecting tongue adapted for engagement within said slot,said tongue being slotted to form a plurality of hooks engageable withthe 't ran syerse pins of the first mentioned rail.

2. A rail joint including in combination, a pair of rails disposed endto end, the meeting end of one of the rails being centrally formed witha vertical and inwardly ex-.

to form hooks adapted to engage the pins of the first mentioned rail.

3. A rail joint comprising in combination, a pair of rails disposed endto end, one of the rails being formed with a transversely disposedelongated slot, the meeting end of one of the rails being formed With aninwardly extending longitudinal slotforming consequent fingers, aplurality of transverse pins carried by the fingers and projectingacross the slot, the meeting end of the other rail being formed with aprojecting tongue adapted for engagement within said slot, said tonguebeing slotted to form a plurality of hooks engageable with thetransverse pins of the first mentioned rail, fish-plates disposed onopposite sides of the rails, means for securing the fish-plates to oneof the rails, and a bolt connecting the fish-plates and disposed withinthe elongated slot of the other rail.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

HENRY N. KENNEDY.

WVitnesses R. W. CUTRER, A. D. NUNNERY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

